I survived the Whole30 except for the fact that I stopped on day 28. My biggest hurdle was eating out either at restaurants or other peoples houses. It's very apparent to me that unless someone else eats Paleo, they don't understand what foods I can eat. I only made it to day 28 because it was my sisters birthday dinner at my parents house. I was told I could eat everything. The ribs were coated in BBQ sauce which contained sugar, there were potato chips, the twice baked potatoes contained cream, and the dessert was creme brûlée. There was a fruit salad which was great but as hard as I wanted to, everything wasn't Whole30 compliant. I did choose not to add extra BBQ sauce but in the end, did that really make much of a difference?
So day 1 post Whole30, I was craving sugar. I think knowing that I can know have it makes it even more tempting. I decided a batch of Peanut Butter Cookies was the way to go. After 1 cookie, I felt like crap. The good thing is that I didn't eat another cookie and can now see how the sugar effects me so quickly.
This week when sitting down and planning my menu, I didn't even realize all but one of my meals was Whole30 compliant again. For the most part, our dinner meals do meet the Whole30 guidelines with the occasional added sweetener. I really wanted Butternut Squash Risotto this week, so we are having it! I did find that I have the ingredients for these meals without going to the store which will help clean out my fridge, pantry and freezer and save me money. I do still need to go to the store for bananas and milk for baby boy but otherwise it should be a low cost week.
Menu Planning
Week of 2/2/15-2/9/15
Monday: Baked Trout Saratoga with Carrot & Parsnip Puree
Tuesday: Leftovers, Hubby is gone
Wednesday: Paleo Shepard's Pie from Quick & Easy Paleo Comfort Foods: 100+ Delicious Gluten-Free Recipes
Thursday: Braised Beef, Artichokes, & Peas from Mediterranean Paleo Cooking: Over 150 Fresh Coastal Recipes for a Relaxed, Gluten-Free Lifestyle
Friday: Chorizo Meatloaf with mashed sweet potatoes
Saturday: Butternut Squash Risotto (made without the cheese)
Sunday: Crockpot French Onion Soup from The Paleo Kitchen: Finding Primal Joy in Modern Cooking
I don't know of anyone that doesn't care how much they spend on food. Some people might spend a lot more than others but there's always that point that's too much. One of the largest complaints I've heard about eating Paleo or Whole30 is the expense. One of my friends told me "it's just too expensive to eat that way." I'm of the mentality that you should be putting the healthiest food into your body as much as possible. If you don't buy all the junk, you actually don't spend that much.
I know buying fruits, vegetables and meat that's fresh means more trips to the store and less coupons. I've come across a few different tricks on how to save but maintain eating fresh healthy items.
#1- Buy in bulk- We buy a whole pig and half a cow each year. When I buy in bulk the cost averages out among the cuts. We paid about $5/lb for grassfed beef last year which is more costly for ground beef but much less for steaks.
#2- Ask for case deals- Several of the local produce stores I go to offer between 5-15% discount for purchasing a full case. I purchase items that I know will last a long time and store them in the garage through the winter. In the summer, my garage fridge is filled with these items too. Good items to buy is sweet potatoes, onions, or fruit.
#3- Make the most of each item- I freeze bones, onion peels, carrot ends, leek greens, and celery to make my own stock. My breakfast hash usually consists of vegetables that are starting to fade, to ensure they get used. If my bananas are getting too spotted for my taste, I'll dehydrate them for snacks or homemade larabars.
#4- Freeze, Freeze, Freeze or Can, Can, Can- I purchased a pressure canner this year which has been amazing but otherwise I was freezing everything. I now am able to pressure can my stock every couple weeks and leave more room in my freezer for items that can't be canned. In the summer and fall I have many canning parties. This past year I canned peaches, pears, applesauce, tomatoes, and stock. I'm sure this year there will be even more. I throw our leftovers after a couple days in the freezer in lunch size servings to easily pull out. I freeze leftover gravy or cauliflower base to pull out for later. I also freeze berries for smoothies.
#5- Plan ahead- Just going to the grocery store and seeing what looks good isn't a good plan. When I have a list, I'm much more likely to stick to it and not pick up extras. I do find myself rethinking dinner choices if I'm unprepared for the price of a main item but otherwise, I know what I'm getting. If you get to the store and you needed 5 zucchini and they were 3x the price as last week, try to re-evaluate and switch out your meals. Also, looking at the ads before going doesn't hurt. Then you know what's on sale and can work your meals around that. I often go to 2 or 3 stores if there are specific items I know are much cheaper.
#6- Prioritize your eating- It is extremely rare for us to eat out anymore. We have dinner out only once or twice a month. With this choice, we can save a ton of money and allocate it towards our groceries instead. Also, it's not the same eating out when most places we go we can't eat many of the items. We've found some all gluten free restaurants around Portland which has been a lifesaver but otherwise, it's disappointing when there are only a handful of menu options that someone Paleo or gluten free can eat.
I still feel that the Whole30 has been going very well for me. Although my husband isn't doing it as well, he's supportive and not eating chocolate in front of me. I've still curbed the cravings I was having for sugar and avoided it completely. Although this morning I did wake up remembering my dream was all about eating donuts and cake.
I've just sat down and spent about 15 minutes coming up with menu for this coming week. I'm down to less than $100 in our food budget for the rest of the month so I need to utilize the freezer and what's in the fridge all that I can. I also know that I will need to buy milk and probably some more eggs so it's going to be close if I can meet budget this month. One of my tricks is to meal plan to the end of the month to control costs. In order to do this, I have to be strategic that I'm only using items next week that can last. Here's what I'll be cooking!
This Week
Monday- Thai curry with zucchini noodles
Tuesday- Chicken Bacon Alfredo (I didn't make this last week), Chili for tomorrow
Wednesday- Leftover chili, hubby gone
Thursday- Simple Herb Crusted Salmon, collard greens, mashed cauliflower
Friday- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
Saturday- Spicy Chicken Tagine from Mediterranean Paleo Cooking: Over 150 Fresh Coastal Recipes for a Relaxed, Gluten-Free Lifestyle
Sunday- Paleo Shepard's Pie from Quick & Easy Paleo Comfort Foods: 100+ Delicious Gluten-Free Recipes
Next Week
Monday- Pressure Cooker Mexican Beef If you don't have a pressure cooker, Michelle has an oven version as well. This is the best beef we've ever had!
Tuesday- Fiona's Green Chicken with Sweet Potato Wedges (I have the marinade frozen from a double batch last time)
Wednesday- Frozen leftovers (soup), Hubby gone
Thursday- Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Friday- Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup with Sausage (freezer meal)
Saturday- Baked Trout Saratoga *contains wine, Carrot & Parsnip puree, peas
